Tag: constitutional option

Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced on the Senate floor Wednesday that they will not allow a filibuster of Neil Gorsuch, and will instead vote for the constitutional option to restore a simple-majority vote to confirm Supreme Court nominations, making that outcome now almost certain.

Both the future of Senate rules and the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court hung in balance Tuesday as Senate Republican leadership tried to assemble the necessary votes for the “constitutional option.”

WASHINGTON—Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) signaled she might vote for the constitutional option to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which would make her the second member of the Gang of 14 to do so, and move Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) one vote closer to the 50 that he needs to make it happen.

Monday it became official that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has the necessary 41 senators publicly committed to filibuster Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court, meaning that now the future of the nation’s highest court hangs on Republicans getting 50 votes for the constitutional option.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) opposes Judge Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court, a decision that risks the ire of gun owners and other conservatives in deep-red Montana when Tester stands for reelection next year.

WASHINGTON—This week’s Senate showdown over the pending Supreme Court confirmation will go down in history because by next weekend America will either see the first ever successful partisan filibuster of a nominee or the Senate will reject using filibusters to block presidential nominations.

On Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that if Democrats tried to filibuster Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court, he would vote for the “constitutional option” to permanently end filibusters of nominees to the nation’s highest court.

WASHINGTON—Senate Democrats will attempt to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced on Thursday during a speech on the Senate floor.